Creative Prompt #5: Spring

Spring has sprung! Spring is the creative prompt of the week.

The season of spring.

Grass can be springy.

Little coils of metal are also called springs.

Spring green.

See the Creative Prompt page if you have questions about this project.

Post the URL where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted in the comments area of this post. It is a good way to keep all the artwork together.

There is more information on the Creative Prompt Page.

Sketching #4

Creative Prompt Drawing: Kindness
Creative Prompt Drawing: Kindness

When I think of kindness, I think of the thoughtful things that people do for each other for no particular reason, except that they want to. This is another drawing in my story of moving the blog. This is the first one inside the studio and shows the welcoming nature of the neighborhood.

This drawing is in response to the creative prompt from March 13 for kindness. Feel free to join in.

Sketching #3

Creative Prompt Drawing: Bubbles
Creative Prompt Drawing: Bubbles

This drawing is in response to the Creative Prompt #3: Bubbles, posted on March 6, 2009. I thought of bubbly drinks and continued with my little story. I did buy and try a Sharpie, but I didn’t like the way it blobbed at the end of lines, so I am back to the Uniball Vision Exact. Gabi Campanario over at Seattle Sketcher is now using a Pigma Micron pen. I have one of those, so I may try that.

Creative Prompt #4: Kindness

Where does kindness come from? Does is spread? Is there a limit to how much one has?

See the Creative Prompt page if you have questions about this project.

Post the URL where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted in the comments area of this post. It is a good way to keep all the artwork together.

There is more information on the Creative Prompt Page.

Creative Prompt #1: Beginnings

The Creative Prompt project was inspired by many people and blogs. I started thinking about it after listening to many of the Creative Mom podcasts. Just FYI: I did a review of the CMP as well. I have some ideas for creative prompt projects that don’t involve quiltmaking, but this latest phenomenon just exploded on to the scene. A few people started talking about it after I wrote the Illustrated Journals post. Suddenly, the idea became something. I am pretty excited: excited because of the enthusiasm shown my Linda and Sherri, excited by the support shown by Julie and excited to just do it, like the Nike ad says.

Here is what I am going to do:

1. Every week (probably Friday) I will post a creative prompt. It may be words or pictures or something else.

2. I will do a drawing or some kind of creative endeavor with that prompt

The rest of the gang have said that they will:

1. Do a drawing, doodle, collage, write poetry, jot down a few words, origami, whatever every week.

2. Post a link to their efforts to the comments section.

Just see what you think of for the prompt and draw, write, collage, sew or whatever something. If you don’t like the prompt, look around and let something else inspire you.

If you want to join in, please feel welcome. If you don’t have a blog or website, open a Flickr account for FREE and post your work there.

There is more information on the Creative Prompt Page.

We’ll see how long it lasts and what comes of it.

_____________________________

The first creative prompt is Beginnings.

Anna Maria Horner talks about Beginnings in her blog post.

DJ Crazy

I have to admit I am losing my mind a bit over these Dear Jane blocks. Not so much that I have run upstairs and started sewing, but enough to keep posting here about them. I can’t stop being in awe of what the makers have accomplished.

Page 10 of the Dear Baby Jane pool (http://www.flickr.com/groups/dearbabyjane/pool/page10/) blew me away. The blocks on that page all looked like they were made out of batiks and hand-dyes. They were almost all brightly colored and caught my attention. I guess I am like a bird – attracted to brightly colored and shiny patchwork.

I have posted a few of the blocks, but go take a look at the page.

clipped from www.flickr.com
b2 by gould_christy
b12 by gould_christy
i8 by gould_christy
k8 by gould_christy
h11 by gould_christy
h13 by gould_christy
f2 by gould_christy
m11 by gould_christy
b6-2 by gould_christy
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Dinnerbel’s E1 Aunt Exie’s Phlox


E1 Aunt Exie’s Phlox
Originally uploaded by dinnerbel

One of the things I notice as I go through the DJ blocks people have made is how the white stands out. TFQ and I have discussions about white all the time and how it can really detract from the rest of the block – or not allow a person to see the rest of the block. In the case of the DJ blocks, I think the white, in many of the blocks, really makes you see the design. I think the block patterns are so detailed that they need something to show off the intricate piecing. In the case of this block, the white does the trick.

I am really impressed by he great fabric combinations that the makers are using.

Fissiett’s F-10 Potholder Block


F-10 Potholder
Originally uploaded by fissiett

There are thousands of Dear Jane blocks posted on the two Flickr groups I have found. I think the choice of fabric and artistry of these blocks is amazing. Not to mention the dedication!

This one, initially, caught my attention because of the dots (of course!). After I got over the dots I noticed how what interesting patches the block has. Notice how the rectangles are not quite rectangles? They seem to be trapezoids. As a result, there is a lot of movement in this block.

Dear Jane by Minka

I have been, as I may have mentioned looking through the Dear Jane blocks various groups of Janiacs have posted on Flickr. The two largest groups are the Dear Janes and Dear Baby Jane (http://www.flickr.com/groups/dearbabyjane/). It is amazing how many blocks these ladies have created.I am in awe of them. I admired one particular member and found her blog. She has some history of her Dear Jane work, a link to which is below.

Trip ‘Round the World — Or Not?

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Bullseye Back (Purple)

I am waiting to get an appointment to deliver my quilts – YES, quilts plural!!! – to my quilter. I have to call her and get a date. Last time I tried she was out of town on all the days that would have been convenient for me. I almost finished a third top last night, so I may wait to add the last two borders, and get the back done before I make the appointment.

Above is the back of the purple Bullseye. I was really pleased with how well this back went together. The whole quilt really went together well, but the back was especially easy. The fabrics I used are much lighter than the front. I wanted to use some fabrics that I owned and liked and had also been around for awhile yet hadn’t yet made it to the front of a quilt.

It is really a thrill to have three quilts (almost) ready to go to the quiltmaker. Sadly, two of them were not on my 2007 UFO list, so that list won’t be much smaller unless I get really busy.

Baby Jane: A7 Dads Plaids


A7 Dads Plaids
Originally uploaded by tailscalifornia

TalisCalifornia has made this very interesting version of the Dear Jane block, Dad’s Plaids. I love the way she has switched the background and the foreground within the block. It really has a nice effect that makes your eye move around the block without making them cross (like certain black and white fabrics would).

The Baby Jane group on Flickr is a testament to hope for the future of quiltmaking. These blocks are not easy to put together and they have really done, and continue to do, a wonderful job. They are moving through all of the Dear Jane blocks and I love seeing the progress.

I ponder doing the blocks along with them! I just don’t want to start another hand project until I make some progress on the Flowering Snowballs and my projects from Pamela Allen’s classes.